Knitting machine



April 14, 1931. w. F. RoLsTON KNITTING MACHINE Filed DBC 18, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 14',e 1931. w. F. RoLsToN KNITTING MACHINE Fied Dec. 18 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 14, 1931. w. F. RoLsToN KNITTING MACHINE Filed DBG- 18, 1925 G Sheets-Sheet 4 April 14, 1931. w. F. RoLsToN 1,800,265

KNITTING MACHINE Filed DeC- 18 ,.1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 April 14, 1931. w. F. RCLSTON 1,800,265

KNITTING MACHINE Filed DGC- 18 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Apr. 14, 1931 @trice WALTER F. ROLSTON, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE AS- SGNIVENTS, OF ON E-HALF TO lBURSONV' VKNITTING COMPANY, OF ROCKFORD, ILLI- NCIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS KNITTING MACHINE Application led December 18, 1925. Serial No. 76,142.

My invention contemplates certain improvements in straight knitting machines prompted in part by observation and study of the Burson type of such machines and in part by the changing trade requirements in respect to stockings, the principal articles knit on these machines. These improvements deal primarily with the frame and needle-bed structure and with the operation of the needles.

Among the objects of my invention arefirst, to secure finer and more accurate knitting; secondly, to increase the pattern capacity; thirdly, to give greater accessibility to all needle supporting and operating parts in the bed structure and to permit quick and easy removal of these parts, and especially to permit individual and independent removal of any needle support and its immediate operating pars Without disturbing the operative relation, adjustment or set-up of the other l similar parts, thus greatly simplifying and reducing the cost of maintenance and repair; fourthly, to enable quick and easy assembling and setting of the various parts in proper operative relation; and fifthly, to enable increased eficiency and longevity of machines of this kind. rlhese and other objects are set forth more in detail hereinafter.

lVhile my improvements are designed primarily for machines of the Burson type and are so illustrated herein, it should be eX- pressly understood that they are in their different phases applicable to other types of straight knitting machines. Because ofthe nature of these improvements it is believed they Will be better understood from the detailed description which follows, this being, of course, merely the preferred embodiment and being subject to modification Within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings- Figure 1 is a plan view of a straight knitting machine embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of said knitting machine opposite from what is known as the home end;

Fig'. 3 is a perspective vienT of the frame perse;

Fig. t is a fragmentary perspective `view on an enlarged scale of certain parts of the ed construction;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the front bed taken substantially on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1 with thev parts in the second level or normal knitting position, described hereinafter;

Fig. G is a fragmentary section through the needle cani showing the needle advancing cam in the raised or neutral position with the jack in the second level position referred to;

Fig. 7 is a sect-ion similar to Fig. 5 With the parts in the first level or inactive position;

Fig. 8 is a section similar to Fig. 5 with the parts in the third level for advancing one or more special needles, as Will be described more fully hereinafter; i l

Fig. 9 is a vertical section through the needle cams showing the needle advancing cam in the raised position corresponding with the third level position referred to;

Fig. 10 is a detail view of the means for controlling and adjusting the jack holder, described hereinafter;

F ig. 11 is a perspective view of one of the needle supports;

Fig. 12 is atop View of such support;

Fig. 13 is a cross-section through said support taken on the line 13-13 of Fig. 12, and

Fig. 14 is a vertical section through the front bed illustrating the manner in which certain of the parts may be removed.

Frame structure My invention contemplates the provision of an improved frame preferably an integral casting such as shoivn in Fig. 3, having transverse end Walls or columns 21 and 22 joined and held in rigid spaced relation by longitudinal base parts 23 and longitudinal tie and supporting trusses 24 which underlie each needle bed and serve as a medial support therefor. This construction is especially desirable in that the end Walls are 'maintained in rigid relative relation andthe machining of these Walls especially for supporting the needle-bed structure and for the pattern cylinder shafts and other parts is greatveo ly facilitated and may be accomplished with greater degree of accuracy. Theend walls are shaped to provide inclined surfaces and 26 on which are adapted to be mounted and supported the front and rear needle beds respectively, it being noted that each of such surfaces has at its lower end an upstanding lug 27. The frame is further shaped to provide half ournal supports 28 for the pattern cylinders, and other bearing supporting` brackets for the main shafts which do not enter into the present invention.

lVhen machining said surfaces 25-25 and 26-26, preferably by a planer, a locating recess 30 is cut in each surface for locating the needle-bed end blocks which will be presently described. By reason of the integral construction the said surfaces,recesses and lug surfaces may be accurately machined 1n aligned planes so as to establish support for the needle-bed structure and to locate such structures in predetermined spaced relation and alignment to a line degree of precision. The lugs 27 and end faces of the recesses 30 or the equivalent serve to resist certain strains imposed on the needle-bed structure, as for example, the thrust from the pattern cylinder action.

Needle-bed structure ,Since the construction of both the front and` rear needle-beds is the same, it will be necessary to consider only the front needlebed which is shown in the drawings.

On the surfaces 25 of the end walls 21 and 22 are mounted end-blocks 29 and 31, the construction of which is best shown in Fig. 4. Each end-block seats against the adjacent lug 27 and has a depending key seated in the frame recess 30 and is clamped to the end wall by screws 32 and 33 so as to be rigidly but removably held in position thereon.

A needle-bed plate designated generally by 34 extending lengthwise of the needle-bed is, in the present instance, cut away at each end as designated by 35 in Fig. 4 to lit in a cutaway 36 in the underI side of the adjacent end-block so that each end of said needle-bed lplate will fit between the top surface 25 of the adjacent end wall and the under cutaway surface of the end-block. Each, end of the needle-bed plate is secured by screws 37 to the adjacent end-block and the whole structure is clamped down onto the end walls by the screws 32 and 33. Thus the end-blocks and the needle-bed plate and all parts carried thereby may be removed as an entirety from the frame by removal of the screws 32 and 33. In the present instance, the needle-bed plate is given further support at a medial point by the truss 24 which has a supporting pad at its center, shown in Fig. 3.

In the preferred embodiment of my inven# tion, the needles do not have bearing support directly on this needle-bed plate but vwise will be presently described, are maintained in definite spaced relation by division plates designated generally by 39.

rllhe preferred'shape of each division plate is best shown in Fig. 4, each plate being a sheet metal stamping of given gauge appro-, prlate for the gauge of the machine. rlhe top of the bed plate is shaped to intcrfit with the division plates so as to accurately locate and hold them in predetermined spaced relatiov.v and against displacement both transversely and longitudinally of the bed structure. This is accomplished by the provision of an upstanding slotted portion 41 on top at the throat edge of said plate, a similar slotted portion 42 at the opposite or rearward edge and a slotted portion 43 intermediate said portions 4l and 42. The division plates fit in these slots and are further located and held by a key connection comprising a depending key 44 on each division plate fitting in a channel 45 in the needle-bed plate. The slotted portions 42 and 43 are located directly beneath the needle cam mechanism which will be described hereinafter, so that thrust imposed against the sides of the division plates will be directly resisted by reason of this connection with the needle-bed plate.

lt will be noted that the division plates at their rearward end project substantially beyond the needle-bed plate and are supported by a rod 46 passing through apertures in said plates, which rod in turn is supported at its Vends in the end-blocks. By reason of this construction, the division plates are supported atthe rearward end with capacity for fieX- ing` laterally so as to relieve the pattern levers, which will be described hereinafter, from strain and wear which might be imposed by variations and irregularities in the pattern plates on the pattern cylinder.

The division plates are securely held at the top by spacing bars 47 and 48 which are slotted on their under side to receive complemental upstanding portions 49 and 5l on the division plates, these spacing bars being suitably secured at their ends to the end-blocks 29 and 3l. y

rlhe slotted portions 42 and 43 on the needle-bed plate are parallel with but in a plane spaced below the slotted portion 4l to provide space for movement of the jack supports or housings, which will be described laten Schiffer mechanism rThe sinkers or presser-hooks 52 may be of any suitable or preferred construction as like- 'Wise may be the means for actuating them.

The sinkers alternate with the needles and their function is well known. They are referred to at present because of their cooperation with the needles in the knitting operation and further because of their cooperation with the needle supports presently to be described which are of a novel construction. The sinkers are, in the present case, mounted in spaced bearing grooves in a sinker bed 53 and are adapted to be projected and retracted at the proper times by a sinker-actuating cam slide 54. Both the sinker bed 53 and the sinker cap 55 are suitably fixed at their 'ends to the end-blocks 29 and 3l.

Needle-support In prior machines of this type it has been customary to provide a grooved needle-bed on which the needles are supported and moved back and forth in the knitting operation; and in the event that the needle-bearing surfaces wore unevenly or repair of the needle-bed was required it was necessary to disassemble the entire structure and remove the needle-bed. Itwas also the practice to provide individual needle supports strung upon supporting` rods in alternation with division plates7 thus providing an individual bearing support for each needle ,but in such case it was likewise necessary to disassemble the bed structure in order to remove any needle support. It has been proposed to remedy this condition by the provision of a needlebearing plate common to all of the needles and removable without tearing down the bed structure in order to replace the worn needle-bearing surfaces; but this practice would necessitate removal of all of the needles and iiller springs.

The present invention obviates these difi'iculties by the provision of individual needle supports any of which may be quickly and easily removed without disturbing the others, thus allowing replacement of any needle bearing surface without affecting the adjustment or setup of the machine.

Another important object in connection with the needle support is that its sinker guiding end is integral with its needle supporting and bearing portion. In other words, I have provided a onepiece needle support and sinker guide. This construction has the further advantage that the sinker guiding end of this support is extended above the needle bearing surface and is grooved to pro vide side guides for the needle for the purpose of giving lateral support and guidance to the needle.

These improvements are particularly desirable over the prior art in which the practice was to rivet, solder or otherwise secure a supplemental part onto the sinker guiding end of the needle support. In the case of a riveted construction the rivets frequently left irregular or interrupted guiding surfaces for the sinkers; and in any event, it was practically impossible to secure tight and permanent joints between such supplemental part and the needle support proper, with the result that fibres of the yarn would lodge in these joints and retard the fabric from feeding down; also the side guides would fre quently loosen or become roughened and impose uneven bearing or friction against the needle; and, in order to repair it was necessary to tal-:e down the entire bed structure to remove the defective needle support.

lily improved needle support 3B abovementioned comprises, in the preferred embodiment, a single piece of sheet steel of a given gage which determines the width of the sinker guiding end 56, reduced in thickness throughout the remainder of its length or at least throughout that portion arranged to be conlined rbetween adjoining division plates. In the present instance this reduction in wi/L th may be obtained eitl er by a rolling or a grinding operation, it being esw sential that both sides of the blank be reduced so as to leave a needle bearing surface 57 centrally between the opposed sides 58 which latter serve as guide surfaces for the sinkers. The blank may be suitably shaped as by a stamping operation and an upwardly projecting portion is provided at the sinker guiding end which is grooved longitudinally in alignment with the needle bearing surface to provide side guides 59 adapted to give lateral support and guidance to the needle. The bottom of this groove is preferably arcu ate or on a radius in cross-section, as shown in Fig. 18, so as to provide a smooth and self clearing bearing and to allow no square or sharp corners or crevices which might cause undue wear on the needle or admit accumulations of yarn libres or other foreign matter. This groove als provides bearing support for the needle coplanar with the surface 57. The needle supports are preferably mounted on the needle-bed plate S-l so that they may be individually and independently removed. To this end each support is cut away along its under edge at 6l to receive the upstanding portion al of the needle-bed plate and serves to hold the needle support from lengthwise displacement, and also has a hooked portion 62 adapted to engage the front edge of the needle-bed plate which forms an acute angle with tl e top surface thus serving to retain the needle support from upward displacement. As a further means of holding the needle support in position a rod 63 is passed through an aperture 64 in the support, this rod 63 likewise passing through the division plates. This rod serves to lock the needle support in position and it may be withdrawn from one end of the bed sufficiently to permit removal of any needle support by withdrawal thereof at the throat.

Sii

The needle which at present is of the latch type designated generally by 65 rests upon and is supported by the bearing surface 57 which is approximately the length of the needle. The needle is held from displacenient by a comparatively light filler spring designated generally by 66 located in the space between the adjoining division plates and being removably retained in position by an upstanding lug 67 engaged in a groove in the underside of the sink'er bed 53. By insertion of a suitable gripping tool into the space between the division plates the end 68 of the filler spring may be grasped for removal thereof. A. filler spring of this character is claimed in combination with needle operating mechanism in my Patent 1,592,506, issued July 13, 1926.

The jack, designated generally by 69 has the usual hooked end 71 engaging the upturned end 72 of the needle, and has also the usual upstanding lug 73 adapted to be actuated by the needle'cams for advancing and retracting its needle to perform the knitting operation when the jack is raised and to be withdrawnto an inactive position in which the jack remains when lowered. The j ack rests on a flat bearing surface 74 on a jack support or housing designated generally by` 75 which is pivotally mounted at its'forward end on a rod 76 in close proximity to the rearward end of the companion needle support. This rod 7 6 passes through the division plates and provides pivotal support for all of the jack housings and, like the rod 63, it may be withdrawn from the bed structure to permit removal of any jack housing. t is preferred to remove the jack and its needle from the forward end of the bedas shown in Fig. le"

and the jack housing from the rearward end. The needle support may be removed after the needle and its jack have been removed. When reassembling these parts the needle support will first be located and then the jack housing will be inserted from the rear of the bed until its leading'end abuts against the inclined cam surface 77 on the needle-bed plate thereby causing such leading end, which is arcuate, as shown, to locate in the complemental arcuate end 78 of the needle support and into registration with the rod 76 so that the j ack housing will be strung on the rod when it is inserted.

It will be observed that when the jack is in the retracted position shown in Figs. 5,l

portion 79 which overlies the rearward end of the jack when it isv in the retracted position and' has a flat bearing surface parallel with the jack-supporting surface 74C so as to provide flat contact of substantiallength r.,

with the jack. This insures against undue wear between the contacting surfaces and avoids lost motion which might otherwise develop between the jack housing and'jack if point contacts between them were employed. rlhe combination of the needle, needle support, jack, and pivoted jack support or housing, with the provision of the full length bearings for the needle and ack on their respective supports is covered in a divisional application, Serial No. 147 ,67 5, filed November 11, 1926.

The means for so moving the jack housings for controlling the number of needles in action will now be described.

Pattern mecha/aisne Any suitable or preferred type or kind of pattern mechanism may be employed for actuating the ack housings or for moving the jacks into and out of operative relation to the needle cams. ln the present case, l'have shown a pattern cylinder designated generally by 81 for each bed of needles. This pattern cylinder is mounted on a shaft 82 journaled in bearings seated in the lower bearing supports 28 above mentioned, and secured in position by suitable bearing caps. Pattern cylinders of this type are well known and usuallyV include pattern plates which act generally through the intermediary of a pattern lever to raise and lower the jacks and thus to control the number of needles in action and consequently, the shape of the fabric. rlhe mechanism for imparting step-bystep movements to thepattern cylinder is not shown. v

In the present case l employ a pattern lever 83 operating between each jack housing and the pattern cylinder. This pattern lever disposed between the adjoining division plates is pivoted on a rod 84 supported on the lowermost end of the division plates and has a pivotal connection with its jack housing. rThis connection preferably comprises a circular member 85 on the pattern lever fitting in a complemental socket 86 in the jack housing. This circular connection permits positive actuation of the ljack housing f through a greater arc than with `prior constructions; and in the present case l am enabled to move the jack housing to an additional level, or through'av greater range of levels than heretofore in machines of this type. The pattern lever has follower projections 87 and 88 adapted to ride on the peripheryy of pattern plates 89 and 91 respectively andto be actuated by said pattern plates to raise and lower the jack housing. For purpose of clearness the pattern plate 91 for the follower 88 is not shown in Figs. 5, 7 and 9, the plate 91 shown in these figures be ing for the next adjacent pattern lever.

Referring to Figure 14, I have shown in dotted lines the pattern cylinder 81 in a lowered position permitted by endwise removal ot' the bearings 80, from which position the cylinder may be moved horizontally to the right for removal from the machine. The top and bottom horizontal dotted lin-es in this figure indicate ne clearance limits and show that the cylinder may be removed independently of the needle-bed structure and the pattern levers associated therewith.

Neeelle cam mechanism The cams adapted to actuate the jack lugs 73 are carried by a cam bar slide 92 mounted in ways on the spacing hars i7 and 48 above mentioned said slides for both beds oi needles together with the sinker actuating slides 5l being connected to a suitable cross-head designated generally by 93 (Figs. 1 and 2) adapted to be reciprocated by operation of the rock er arm 94. The needle cams are of a typ-e well eraltype,"or the equivalent thereof, may be employ-ed with the present invention. The particular cam construction disclosed briefly in the present drawings is shown in full in my patent, above mentioned. It will suice at present to state that one of the needle-retracting cams is indicated 'by 95 and the advancing cam by 96. While the retracting cams are at a permanent level the advancing cam 9G is adapted to be raised and lowered upon and with respect to the slide 92, said advancing cam being shown in the raised position in Fins. 6 and 9, and when in the lowered position being' substantially flush on its un derside with the underside of the cam 95.

The cross-head 93 which reciprocates the needle and sinker slides is also connected to a driver head 97 1) which in turn recipro- Cates a yarn-carrier 98 'for distributing the yarn to the needles. The particular form ot yarn-carrier and transfer mechanism 99 is unimportant so far as an understanding ot the present invention 1s concerned.

Three level pattern control Heretotore in machines ot this type it has been customary to move the jacks by means ofthe vpattern control mechanism to either oi two positions, namely, an inactive position and a normal knitting position, the jacks being down-in the inactive position and up in the normal knitting position. The jacks might still, however, remain inactive even though they are in the raised normal knitting position since the needle-advancing cam 96 might be raised so as to clear the jacks in this position, as shown in Fig. G. ln other words, with any given number of jacks in the normal knitting position and with the needle-advancing cam 96 raised the needle cams might be reciprocated any number of strokes without operating the needles, as desired at certain times. it it were desired to bring only one or a comparatively small number of needles into action it would, therefore, with prior constructions, be necessary to lower or throw out ot action all of the remaining needles, this being accomplished by lowering the jacks which necessarily would require operation of the jack or pattern levers by the pattern mechanism. It will be manitest.l therefore, that wherever it was required to bring a comparatively large number of needles into and out of action at intervals alternating with one or a comparatively small number of needles it was necessary to move a correspondingly large number of parts all actuated from the pattern plates on the pattern cylinder. One illustration is in knitting thewidening or fashioned portion at the calf ot a stocking in which a single needle is brought into action and the remaining needles are held out of action, the prior practice necessitating that the jacks of said remaining needles be positively lowered to the inactive position and then returned to action on the next round. This obviously imposed considerable wear on all of the parts involved and especially on the cam surfaces and also was a distinct limitation on the pattern capacity ot a pattern cylinder.

According to thepresent invention any jack may be raised to a third level, that is,

to a position higher than it would ordinarily occupy in normal knitting, so that the jack or jacks so raised will be actuated by the needleadvancing cam in its raised position, al though said cam in such position will not actuate the jacks simultaneously held in the normal knitting position. It follows, therefore, that in the example referred to a single needle such as the widening needle may be operated merely by raising its respective jack to the third level position, leaving any desired number of jacks in the normal knitting posit-ion, this being readily distinguished from the prior practice in which it was necessary in order to knit with this single needle to lower all of said remaining needle jacks and raise them again in order to return their respective needles to action.

In the present drawings Fig. 7 shows the jack in the lower-most or inactive position, termed the lirst level; Fig. 5 shows the jack in the normal knitting position termed the second level 5 and Fig. 8 shows the jack raised ter is particularly desirable in the knitting of a fashioned stocking it will be apparent to those skilled in this art that it has its corresponding advantages in the knitting of any fabric, especially one requiring a multiplicity of pattern control movements for moving needles into and out of action. The three level feature is also covered in the divisional application referred to above.

Adjustable jack holder When the needles or any number of them are in the inactive retracted position, it is desired to hold them from moving forward to prevent them from loosening or changing or varying the tension of the held loops.

Heretofore this has beenacccmplished by engagement of each jack with a fixed abutment on its pattern lever. Such construction is objectionable especially for the reason, among others, that the abutment 'is fixed and consequently, allows only a single limit for holding its jack. The present invention contemplates the provision of j ack-holding means independent of the Vj ack support or housing and of the pattern lever. lt further provides for adjustment of said holding means whereby the limit to which the needles may move forward when held in the retracted position may be varied in accordance with changes in tension of the knitting. This is particularly desirable in the knitting of a 5 stocking where the tension is automatically varied at dierent stages of the knitting.

In the present instance, referring particularly to Figs. 7 and 10, such adjustable or variable holding means comprises a rod 103 passing through and supported by the division plates yand having a longitudinal recess or groove 104 the wall 105 of whichl is undercut to provide a somewhat pointed abutment against which the hooked rearward end 106 of the jack is adapted to engage. r1`he jack housing is cut away at 107 so as not to interfere withl the rod 103 when said housing is moved to its different levels. lt will be manifest that when the jack is retracted and lowered to the inactive position shown in Fig. 7 its hooked end 106 will engage behind the abutment on the holder or rod 103 and thus be prevented from advancing further than allowed by the position of such abutment. llt

- will also be observedthat by imparting rotative movement to the rod 103 the position of its abutment may be changed to advance or retract the effective limit.

Any suitable or preferred means may be employed for impart-ing `such movement, the present invention providing both adjustable and automatically operated means for this purpose. As shown in Fig. 10, an arm 108 fixed to one end of the rod 103 is adapted to be actuated by a cam plate 109 on the pattern cylinder through the intermediary of a cam follower lever 111 and an'adjusting screw 112. Suitable means such as a spring 110 may be employed to hold the follower lever 111 against its cam plate. lt will be manifest that the cam plate may be so shaped as to rock the j ack holder rod 103 at predetermined times to vary the limit referred to, this variation occurring in synchronism with changes in tension which are effected by independent mechanism. By adjustment of the screw 112 theposition of the jack abutment may be varied with respect to the throw of the cam plate, thus allowing a line degree of adjustment. rlihe feature of the adjustable jack holder is also covered in said divisional application.

Tensionl mcham'sm The change in tension of the knitting just referred to may be accomplished by any suitable' means and in the present machine is effected by a tension-changing part 113 inv the needle cam mechanism above referred to. v rllhe Construction and operation of this tension-changing device is fully disclosed in my patent above mentioned; and it will be suiicient to state at present that this change is controlled by the pattern cylinder through the operation of a tension lever 114 which is adapted to rock the arm 115 having a channel-shaped adjuster bar 116 which in turn actua-tes the tension-changing part 113 and imparts certain movement to the needle retracting cams, thereby causing the needles to be retracted to a greater or lesser extent, consequently changing the Ytension of the knitting. Such tension adjustment is referred to in the present application merely to further illustrate the purpose and advantage of the adjustable jack holder just described.

ll claim:

1. In a straight knitting machine, in combination, a bed structure including a needle-bed plate, division plates mounted in spaced relation on said needle-bed plate, said needlebed plate being slotted on top thereof at three portions at different levels, namely, at its throat end, at its rearward end, and intermediate said ends, ferreception of the division plates to hold them in spaced relation and resist lateral strains, top bars slotted on their undersides for recept-ion of the division plates and located forward and rearward of said slotted rearward end and intermediate portions on the needle-bed plate, end blocks to which said needle-bed and said top bars are iixed, said end blocks being detachably securecL to the trame of the machine with the structure assembled tl ereon, the division plates extending rearwardly beyond the needle-bed plate, and a rod interposed between and mounted on the rearward end oi" the end blocks, said rod passing through apertures the division plates and providing support for the rearward end thereof.

2. In a straight knitting machine, in conibination, a bed structure including a needlebed plate, division plates mounted in spaced relation on said needle-bed plate said needlebed plate being slotted at separate portions on top at its throat end, at its rearward end and intermediate said ends for reception ot the division plates to hold them in spaced relation and resist lateral strains, top bars slotted on their undersides for reception of the division plates and located forward and rearward of said slotted rearward end and intermediate portions on the needle-bed plate, and a key connection between each division plate and the needle-bed plate located between the slotted portions at the rearward end thereof.

3. In a straight knitting machine, in comyoination with a needle-bed and division plates, of a support for each needle mounted on the needleebed between adjoining division plates and projecting beyond the throat end thereoi", said projecting end et each needle guiding support havingV a needle groove therein, wherein the needle i'inds guidance to the eXtreme end of said support.

d. In a straight knitting machine, in combination, a needle-bed, division plates, needle supports on the needle-bed between the division plates, each needle support having an integral end portion provided with a groove at the throat end providing lateral guidance for its needle to the extreme end oil' said support.

5.In a straight knitting machine, in coinbinat-ion, a needle-bed, division plates, needle supports on the needle-bed between the division plates, each needle support being an interfral element and projecting at one end beyond the division plates, the projecting end having a` needle groove providing lateral support and guidance tor its needle to the e1- treine end of said support, the adjoining walls of the division plates providing i'urthcr lateral support and guidance for the needles.

6. In a` straight knitting machine, a onepiece needle support having a bearing surface on which its needle rests and is adapted to be reciprocated and having at its end from which the needle is adaptedto be projected a groove providing lateral support and guidance for the needle to the extreme end of said support.

7. In 'a straightknitting machine, a onepiece needle support having a bearing sur- Jface on which its needle rests and is adapted to be reciprocated and having at the throat end a groove providing lateral support and guidance tor the needle to the extreme end oi said support, said grooved end of the needle support having' side walls providing sinkcr guides.

8. In a straight knitting machine, a needle support termed of a single piece ot' sheet metal et given gage which determines the thickness of the sinker guiding end of the support, said single piece of metal being reduced in width throughout its length except `for said sinker guiding end to provide a narrow needle-supporting surface, said sinker guiding end extending above said surface and being groeved to provide a needle bearing surface coplanar with the first mentioned surface and to also provide lateral support and guidance for the needle to the extreme end of said support.

9. In a straight knitting machine, a needle support formed of a single piece of sheet metal of given gage and being rolled to reduce its width except for one end, said reduced portion providing a bearing surf` ce on which a needle is adapted to rest and be reciprocated, and said end portion extending above said bearing surface and being greoved to guide the needle to the extreme end of said supp-ort.

l0. In a straight knitting machine, an integral support for each needle having a sinker guiding end extending above the needle supporting surface and being grooved to provide .lateral support and guidance for the needle tothe extreme end ot said support.

ll. In a straight knitting machine, in combination, a needle-bed plate, division plates in spaced relation on the needle-bed, and needle supports on the needleebed plate interposed between the division plates, each needle support being` an integral element and projecting at one end beyond the division plates, the projecting end being of greater width than the portion confined between the division plates, said projecting end serving as a sinker guide and being grooved to provide lateral support and guidance for its needle to the eXtreme end of said support.

l2. In a straight knitting machine, in conibination, a needle-bed plate, division plates, the needle-bed plate being notched along its edge adjacent to the throat to receive and hold the division plates at this end in spaced relation, and needle supports interposed between the division plates, each needle support being cut away on its underside for reception oi the needleebed portion between the adjoining division plates, each needle support being an integral element and projecting beyond the division plates at said. throat end, the projecting end of each needle support providing a sinker guide and having a portion disposed above its needle bearing surface, said projecting portion being grooved to provide lateral support and guidance for its needle to the eXtrem-e end of said support.

13. ln a straight knitting machine, a needle support in the form of an integral element having a needle bearing surface and at the throat end a portion projecting above said surface and grooved to provide lateral support and guidance for the needle to the eX- treme end of said support, the bottoni of said groove being arcuate in cross-section.

14. ln a straight knitting machine, a onepiece needle support and sinker guide having at its sinker guidingfend side guides for the needle to the extreme end of said support.

15. ln a straight knitting machine, in combination, a needle-bed plate, division plates, and needle supports on the needle-bed plate between the division plates, each needle support having integral t ierewith at the throat end side walls providing lateral guidance for the needle to the extreme end of said support.

16. ln a straight knitting machine, in combination, a needle-bed plate, division plates, needle supports ony the needle-bed `plate between the division plates, each needle support having integral therewith at the throat and side walls providing lateral guidance for the needle, to the extreme end of said support, said needle supports being individually and independently removable from the needle-bed plate, and a common mea-ns for locking all of the needle supports in position and permitting said removal therefrom.

17. ln a straight knitting machine, in combination, a needle-bed, division plates, needle supports on the needle-bed plate `between the division plates, each needle support having a guide on top thereof for the guidance of the needle to the extreme end of said support, said support being recessed on its underside for reception of'fan upstanding portion of the needle-bed plate to hold the needle support from lengthwise or upward displacement, and a retaining wire passing through the division plates and needle supports and adapted to be withdrawn for permitting withdrawal of any needle support from its operative position on the needle-bed pla-te. j

18. ln a straight knitting machine, in combination, a needle-bed plate, division plates, needle supports between the division plates, each needle support being integral and having a projecting sinker guiding end,

said end extending above the needle bearing surface and being grooved to provide lateral support and guidance for its needle to the extreme end of said support, a needle resting on each needle support, a sinker bed, and sinkers mounted on the sinker bed and adapted to be guided by said sinker guiding ends of the needle supports.

19. ln a straight knitting machine, in combination, a vneedle-bed plate, division plates, needle supports between the division plates, a needle on each needle support, a jack for each needle, a jack support for each jack, a rod passing through the division plates adjacent to the rear end of the needle supports and providing a pivotal mounting for the forward end of each jack support, the needle supports resting on top of the needle-bed plate and said plate being reduced at its top at the rear of said supports to provide clearance for said swinging movenient of the jack supports, the needle-bed plate having an inclined surface intermediate the surfaces referred to for guiding the forward end of each jack support into alignnient with said rod for locating said end of the jack support when assembling.

20. ln a straight knitting machine, a bed structure including a needle-bed plate the top of which has an upper surface adjacent to the throat end, a lower surface at its end remote from the throat, division plates, said upper and lower surfaces of the needle-bed plate being in spaced planes and each having a slotted portion for the reception of and for holding the division plates in fixed space relation, needle supports mounted on said upper surfaces'between the division plates, a needs on each needle support, a. jack for each needle, and jack supports pivotedadjacent to the rearward end of each needle support and adapted to swing vertically in the space between the division plates afforded by the location of said lower surface of the needlebed plate.

21. ln a straight knitting machine of the character described, a needle bed structure including spaced division plates and needle supports interposed therebetween, each needle support having at its throat end an integral lateral guide for its needle extending to the eXtreme end of saidsupport.

22. In a straight knitting machine of the character described, the combination of a bed structure including spaced division plates and needle supports interposed therebetween and being individually and independently removable, a needle on each needle support, a jack for each needle, and a jack support for each jack pivoted adjacent to its needle support and adapted to be.

swung on said pivot to move its jack into and out of an operative position.

23. ln a straight knitting machine, a`

needle-bed plate having a slotted top surface with high forward and low rearward portions for holding division plates in spaced relation, division plates supported upon and held in the slots in spaced relation on the needle-bed plate, a needle support resting upon the needle-bed plate between each oli- Vision plate and its adjoining division plate and insertible and removable from the front of said plate by endwise movement in a straight line, there being' means limiting rearward movement of said supportv in the insertion thereof whereby to facilitate assembling, and means normally retaining the needle supportsin position on the needle-bed plate and permitting removal of any needle support from the needle-bed plate independently of and without disturbing any of the remaining division plates and needle supports.

24. In a straight knitting machine, a needle-bed plate slotted on top at its throat end and'similarly slotted at its rear end parallel'with and at a level spaced below the slotted throat end for the reception of division plates,` division plates mounted on` the needle-bed plate held in spaced relation by said slotted portions, needle supports mounted on the needle-bed plate between the division plates, needles on the supports, jacks for the needles, and jack supports each pivot ally mounted at its forward end adapted to swing vertically on its pivot` through space afforded by the lower level ofthe rear end of the needle-bed plate, each jack being supported from end to end on its jack support when the latter is operated,

25. In a straight knitting machine, the combination set forth in claim 24, including pattern operated means carried by the division plates for operating the jack supports, and a key connection between the division plates and the needle-bed plate for holding the division plates against lengthwise displacement against thrust from said pattern operated mechanism.

26. In a straight knitting machine, a needle-bed plate slotted on its top for the reception ofdivision plates to hold them in spaced relation, division plates supported on the needle-bed plate, needle supports mounted on the needle-bed plate between the division plates, needles on the supports, jacks for the needles, and jack supports each pivoted at its forward end and adapted to be swung on its pivot to position its jack at different levels, each jack being supported from end to end on its jack support when the latter is operated.

27. In a straight knitting machine, in combination, a needle-bed plate, division plates thereon, individually removable needle supports on the needle-bed plate between the division plates, a needle on each needle support, a jack for advancing and retracting each needle, a jack support foreach jack pivotally mounted at its forward'end adjacent to the rear end of the needle support, jack operating cams, and a pattern lever for raising and lowering eachjack support into and out of operative relation to said jack operating meill'lS.

28. In a straight knitting machine, in combination, a needle-bed structure including needle bearing surfaces, a jack for reciprocating each needle, means for actuating the jacks, a support `for each jack pivotally mounted its forward end adjacent to the end of its needle supporting surface, and pattern mechanism for raising and low ering the acks, the needle support,`jack suppori, jack and jack lever between adjoining division plates being removable therefrom independently of the division plates an d needlebed plate.

29. In straight knitting machine, in combination, a needle-bed plate, division plates, needle supports between the division plates, a needle on each needle support, a jack for each needle, a jack support for each jack, a rod passing through the division plates adjacent to the rear end of the needle supports and providing a pivotal mounting for the forward end of each jack support, and means for swinging the jack supports upon and about said rod to position the jacks different levels.

30. In a straight knitting machine, in combination, a bed structure including a needlebed plate, said plate being slotted at Vdifferent levels at front and rear portions thereof for the mounting of division plates thereon, division plates disposed in the slots in spaced relation on said plate, there being a key connection between each division plate and the needle-bed plate, and one or more `op bars slotted on their under sides for reception of the upper edges of the division plates, the needle-bed plate and the top bars being supported at their ends on the frame of said machine.

3l. In a straight knitting machine, in co1n bination, a bed structure including a needlebed plate, said plate having' several portions thereof slotted at different levels, the slotted portions being spaced with respect` to one another fore and aft of the plate, division platesI `disposed in the slots in spaced relation to one another, and top bars slotted on their under sides for reception of the upper edges of the division plates, the said top bars being disgosed in staggered relation with respect to the slotted portions of said needle-bed plate, and said bars and plate being supported at 'their ends on the frame of said machine.

32. In a straight knitting machine, needle-bed plate slotted on top for the reception. of division plates, the said plate having a high throat portion and a low rearward p0rtion, division plates mounted in the slots in spaced relation to one another, needle supports mounted on the throat portion of the needle-bed plate between the division plates,

needles disposed thereon and having a bearing substantially the full length thereof, ack supports pivoted behind the needle supports between the division plates for vertical pivetal movement in the space afforded by the low rearward portion of the needle-bed plate, jacks for the needles bearing on the jack supports substantially their full length, and jack levers pivoted between the division plates at the'rearwardend of the latter and having pivotal connection with the jack supports for operating the latter.

33. A structure as set forth in Claim 32, including one or more top bars slotted on their under sides for reception of the upper f edgesof the divisionl plates, said top bars being disposed in otl'set relation to the slotted portions of said needle-bed plate, and said top bars and needle-bed plate being supported at their ends on the frame of the knitting machine.

Sil. A structure as set forth in Claim 32, wherein the needle-bed plate has an inclined intermediate p l"ion between the throat p0rtion and the rea-rwardv portion thereof, and wherein the jacl; supports are pivoted adj acent the upper end of said inclined portion on a cross rod insertible by endwise movement'from one end of the needle-bed plate, said jack supportsbeing removable and insertible from the rear of the needle-bed plate and in the insertion thereof being arranged to ride up the inclined portion into position for insertion of the cross rod therethrough.

35. A structure as set forth in claim 32, wherein the needlersupports are removably i secured in place on the needle-bed plate, as

by means of a cross rod insertible endwise from one end of said plate through openings provided in said supports, and wherein the jaclr supports are pivoted at the rear ends of the needle supports and have the forward ends thereof rounded for reception in the complementarily formed ends of said needle supports, the said jack supports beingv removably secured in place, as by means of a cross rod insertible' endwise through openings provided in the ends of said jack supports from one end of theAneedle-bed plate.

.36. Av structure as set forth in claim 32, wherein the needle supports are removably securedv in place on the needle-bed plate, as by means of a cross rod insertible endwise from one end of said plate through openings providedv in. said supports, and wherein the jaclr supports are pivoted at the rear ends of the needle supports and have the forward ends thereof rounded for reception in the complementarily formed ends of said needle supports, the said jack supports being removably secured in place, as by means of a crossrod insertible endwise through openingsv provided in the lends of said jack supports from one end of the needle-bed plate., the needle-bed plate having an inclined intermediate portion extending upwardly from the 'rearward portion thereof to the throat portion and terminating at the rear ends of the needle supports, the ack supports being insertible and removable from the rear-'of the needle-bed plate, and in the insertion thereof being arranged to have the front ends ride up the incline into position abutting the rear ends of the needle supports.

37. ln a straight knitting machine, the combination with a main frame providing end supporting members, of a bed structure in the form of an assembly arranged to be mounted `on said end supports for detachability as a unit, said bed structure comprising end blocks arranged to be fastened removably onto the end supporting members of the main frame, means onV said blocks cooperating with said members for positively locating the same thereon, a separateneedle-bed platesecured at its opposite ends to the end blocks so as to be demountable with the latter from the frame and accurately located on the frame thereby, said plate having slotted portions at different levels, division plates received inA saidslots in spaced relation to one another,

nee lle and jack supports inserted between said plates, needles on the needle supports and aclrs on the ack supports, and top bars slotted on their under sides for reception of the upper edges of the division plates and having the ends thereof rigidly secured to and definitely located on the end blocks to complete the assembly permitting removal as a unit from the main frame without disturbing the relationship of the elements of said assembly ust set forth.

38. ln a straight knittting machine, the combination with a main frame providing end supporting. members, of a bed structure in the form of an assembly arranged to be mounted on said end Vsupports for detachability as a unit, said bed structure comprising end blocks arranged to be fastened removablyonto the end supporting members of the main frame, means on said blocks cooperating with said members for positively locating the same thereon, a separate needlebed plate secured at its opposite ends to the under sides of the end blocks so as to be demountable with the latter from the frame and accurately located on the frame thereby, said plate having slotted portions at different levels, division plates received in said slots in spaced relation, to one another, a cross rod passing through apertures in said plates and supported at its ends in the end blocks whereby to support said plates from the end blocks for the desired rigidity and alignment, needle and jack supports inserted between said plates, needles on the needle supports and jacks on the jack supports, and top bars slotted on their under sides for reception of the upper edges of the division plates and having the ends thereof resting on the tops of the end blocks and rigidly secured to anddefilnitely located thereon tocoinplete-the assembly permitting removal as a unit from the main frame without disturbing the relationY lil? of the elements of said assembly just set forth.

39. A knitting machine structure as set forth in claim 23, including a jack for each needle, a jack support therefor, the jack and jack support being disposed between adj oining division plates behind the needle and needle support, the front end of the needle support being rounded and arranged to lit in the complementarily formed rear end of the needle support for pivotal movement relative thereto, and means, such as a cross rod, entered through an opening in the front end of said jack support for retaining the same in position with freedom for pivotal movement.

40. A knitting machine structure as set forth in claim 23, including a jack for each needle, a jack support therefor, the jack and j ack support being disposed between adjoining division plates behind the needle and needle support, the front end of the needle support being rounded and arranged to fit in the complementarily formed rear end of the needle support for pivotal movement relative thereto, and means, such as a cross rod, entered through an opening in the front end of said jack support for retaining the same in position with -freedom for pivotal movement, the needle-bed plate having an inclined intermediate portion between the high forward and low rearward portions thereof, and said jack support being insertible and removable from the rear of said plate by movement in a straight line, the front end of said support being arranged to ride up the incline in the insertion of said jack support to bring the front end thereof in proper relation to the rear end of the needle support associated therewith, whereby to facilitate assembling.

4l. ln a straight knitting machine, in combination, spaced division plates, individually removable needle supports between the division plates, a needle on each needle support, a jack for advancing and retracting each needle, a jack support for each jack pivotally mounted at its forward end adjacent to the rear end of the needle support, jack operating cams, and means for raising and lowering each jack support into and out of operative relation to said jack operating means.

In wit-ness of the foregoing I aiiiX my signature.

WALTER F. ROLSTON. 

